(WASHINGTON, DC) – In celebration of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s visit to Washington, DC, Mayor Bowser has proclaimed July 28, 2018 “Ethiopia Day in DC.” On Saturday, the Mayor will join Prime Minister Abiy at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, where the Prime Minister will address thousands of members of the Ethiopian diaspora community from across the region. Home to more than 30,000 Ethiopian immigrants, the Washington, DC metropolitan area has the largest population of Ethiopia-born people in the United States.
“The Ethiopian community is such a valued part of our city, and our Ethiopian neighbors have played a critical role in building the diverse, inclusive, and vibrant Washington, DC that we live in today,” said Mayor Bowser. “Now, during this new climate of goodwill and unity, we look forward to reaffirming the Sister City relationship between our two capital cities.”
The Mayor’s proclamation highlights that “since assuming office in April of 2018, Dr. Abiy has focused on improving human rights, ending the war with Eritrea, pursuing political and economic reforms, and eliminating corruption, that will move Ethiopia toward a more democratic society.”
Since 2013, Washington, DC has had a Sister City Agreement and Protocol of Friendship with Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.
Source: DC.GOV Mayor Office